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Sweden Strike Force Faces Tough Tunisia Test in World Cup Opener

Tunisia's French head coach Sabri Lamouchi takes part in a training session at Rayados Training Center in Santiago, Nuevo Leon state, Mexico on June 9, 2026, ahead of the 2026 World Cup football tournament. (AFP)
Tunisia's French head coach Sabri Lamouchi takes part in a training session at Rayados Training Center in Santiago, Nuevo Leon state, Mexico on June 9, 2026, ahead of the 2026 World Cup football tournament. (AFP)
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Sweden Strike Force Faces Tough Tunisia Test in World Cup Opener

Tunisia's French head coach Sabri Lamouchi takes part in a training session at Rayados Training Center in Santiago, Nuevo Leon state, Mexico on June 9, 2026, ahead of the 2026 World Cup football tournament. (AFP)
Tunisia's French head coach Sabri Lamouchi takes part in a training session at Rayados Training Center in Santiago, Nuevo Leon state, Mexico on June 9, 2026, ahead of the 2026 World Cup football tournament. (AFP)

Sweden boast a formidable strike partnership in Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres, but the two will have their work cut out in their opening World Cup Group F game on Sunday when they take on a Tunisia side that didn't concede a goal in qualifying.

The 28-year-old Gyokeres arrives in the US fresh from winning the English Premier League title with Arsenal, and it was his late goal in a 3-2 playoff win over Poland ‌that punched Sweden's ‌ticket to the World Cup, where they will also ‌face ⁠the Netherlands and ⁠Japan.

Strike partner Isak may have struggled with injuries since his big-money move from Newcastle United to Liverpool last September, but on his day the 26-year-old has a blend of speed and skill that can leave even the best defenders in his wake.

"Alex has had a difficult spell at Liverpool because of injury, but the player doesn't change, his quality doesn't change - he's still a top, top, ⁠top player," Sweden coach Graham Potter said during the build-up ‌to the World Cup.

Isak will need every ‌ounce of that quality against a Tunisia side that was rock-solid in defense in ‌qualifying as they won nine and drew one of their games to ‌make it to their third World Cup in a row.

"(That defensive performance in qualifying) shows you're a great side that, above all, defends well as a team, even if the World Cup will be a higher level altogether," Tunisia coach Sabri Lamouchi told ‌FIFA.com ahead of the tournament.

"The teams we're going to face will make much more difficult demands of us, at ⁠a much higher ⁠level of intensity, and we'll have to stand up and be counted."

Lamouchi's somewhat cautious approach is mirrored in that of Potter, who inherited the Sweden job in the midst of a catastrophic qualifying campaign that had them finish bottom of their group with two points, only qualifying thanks to a Nations League playoff lifeline.

Potter has since righted the listing Swedish ship, restoring some sense of defensive organization and giving Isak and Gyokeres a license to go and attack, supported by creative wide players such as Lucas Bergvall, Anthony Elanga and Benjamin Nygren.

"We know that it's not easy winning games in international football, but at the same time, you have to have a belief that you can win any game," Potter told Reuters ahead of the tournament.

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Empty Seats at World Cup Match Renews Concerns over Ticket Prices

11 June 2026, Mexico, Mexico city: A general view bfore the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa at the Azteca Stadium (Mexico City Stadium). Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
11 June 2026, Mexico, Mexico city: A general view bfore the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa at the Azteca Stadium (Mexico City Stadium). Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
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Empty Seats at World Cup Match Renews Concerns over Ticket Prices

11 June 2026, Mexico, Mexico city: A general view bfore the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa at the Azteca Stadium (Mexico City Stadium). Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
11 June 2026, Mexico, Mexico city: A general view bfore the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa at the Azteca Stadium (Mexico City Stadium). Photo: Tom Weller/dpa

FIFA reported an attendance of 44,985 for Thursday's World Cup match between South Korea and the Czech Republic in Guadalajara, but swathes of empty seats around the stadium renewed concerns over ticket pricing and demand for the expanded tournament.

While more than 80,000 squeezed into the Azteca stadium to watch the opener between co-hosts ‌Mexico and ‌South Africa, the optics of ‌unoccupied ⁠rows at the ⁠46,000-seat stadium in Guadalajara, a city with a deep-rooted football culture, have intensified criticism of FIFA's commercial strategy for the first 48-team World Cup.

Some fans at the stadium blamed the high ticket prices for the rows ⁠of empty seats and criticized ‌FIFA for their pricing ‌model.

Reuters has contacted FIFA for comment.

FIFA President Gianni ‌Infantino on Wednesday defended FIFA's ticket pricing ‌following criticism from supporters who argued the cost of attending matches had become prohibitive. He said ticket prices were on a par with other ‌major sporting events.

FIFA has sold more than 6 million tickets for ⁠the tournament ⁠and previously highlighted strong interest from across the Americas, with Infantino saying demand had exceeded expectations by "a factor of 10 or more".

However, groups such as Football Supporters Europe (FSE) had warned that "extortionate" pricing would exclude ordinary fans. According to FSE, ticket prices for this tournament have jumped fivefold compared to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

South Korea beat the Czechs 2-1 in the Group A match.

Sports

Belgium Keeper Courtois Thinking about Retiring from National Team after World Cup

Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Belgium Training - Seattle Sounders FC Performance Center and Clubhouse, Renton, Washington, US - June 11, 2026 Belgium's Thibaut Courtois with Seattle Sounders' Max Anchor during training. (Reuters)
Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Belgium Training - Seattle Sounders FC Performance Center and Clubhouse, Renton, Washington, US - June 11, 2026 Belgium's Thibaut Courtois with Seattle Sounders' Max Anchor during training. (Reuters)
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Belgium Keeper Courtois Thinking about Retiring from National Team after World Cup

Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Belgium Training - Seattle Sounders FC Performance Center and Clubhouse, Renton, Washington, US - June 11, 2026 Belgium's Thibaut Courtois with Seattle Sounders' Max Anchor during training. (Reuters)
Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Belgium Training - Seattle Sounders FC Performance Center and Clubhouse, Renton, Washington, US - June 11, 2026 Belgium's Thibaut Courtois with Seattle Sounders' Max Anchor during training. (Reuters)

Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois ‌is thinking about ending his international career after the World Cup, he said on Thursday as his team prepared for their Group G opener against Egypt in Seattle.

The 34-year-old, who won the first of his 109 caps in 2011, suggested it was time to pass the torch after the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

“I don’t know if we should be talking about the future right now, but the chances are greater that I won’t continue after this ‌tournament than that ‌I will,” he told reporters at the ‌Belgian ⁠team base.

“I still ⁠want to play for a few more years.

“And then you have to take care of your body. My family is here because this could be my last tournament.”

But the Real Madrid goalkeeper also suggested he could be persuaded to continue.

“If we have a good World Cup, of course. And continuing ⁠to feel the good atmosphere within the ‌group. Afterward, I’ll need to ‌have an internal discussion with the coach, (technical director) Vincent Mannaert, and the ‌doctors.”

Courtois said that under former coach Domenico Tedesco he ‌was allowed to skip some international breaks, and that reinforced his thinking.

“I noticed that during those international breaks you can get some rest and work quietly in the gym,” he said.

“In addition, over ‌the last year and a half, I’ve had more little physical problems and injuries, so ⁠you naturally ⁠think more about the future.

"I’m considering passing the torch. There’s a lot of talent coming through with Senne (Lammers) and Mike (Penders).”

Courtois said he was raring to go against Egypt on Monday.

“Yes, I’m very hungry, just like the rest of the group. I feel very good and I’m looking forward to it.

“I also worked very hard on my comeback during the spring. The (quadriceps) injury was unfortunate because at that moment I felt almost unbeatable. But I’m ready to maintain my level now and stay focused,” he added.

Belgium also face Iran and New Zealand in the group stage.

Sports

Bosnia Will Play with Hearts in World Cup Opener, Says Coach Barbarez

Sergej Barbarez, head coach of Bosnia and Herzegovina, attends the press conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group B match between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina at Toronto Stadium on June 11, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. (Getty Images/AFP)
Sergej Barbarez, head coach of Bosnia and Herzegovina, attends the press conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group B match between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina at Toronto Stadium on June 11, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Bosnia Will Play with Hearts in World Cup Opener, Says Coach Barbarez

Sergej Barbarez, head coach of Bosnia and Herzegovina, attends the press conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group B match between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina at Toronto Stadium on June 11, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. (Getty Images/AFP)
Sergej Barbarez, head coach of Bosnia and Herzegovina, attends the press conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group B match between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina at Toronto Stadium on June 11, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. (Getty Images/AFP)

Bosnia and Herzegovina know they are underdogs heading into their World Cup Group B opener against co-hosts Canada, coach Sergej Barbarez said on Thursday, but the Balkan nation will play with pride as they return to the tournament for the first time in 12 years.

Bosnia will look to advance past the group stage this time around after managing one win during their 2014 debut in Brazil.

"We are a small country," Barbarez said. "This is our second ever World ‌Cup and for ‌sure we are sort of an underdog in ‌many ⁠of the matches ⁠ahead."

But despite his side being ranked 64th, the coach is confident in his side's ability to perform on the world's biggest stage.

"If you know our results, I think you have to just admire what we've managed to achieve."

Bosnia claimed one of the six final spots in the World Cup after defeating three-times champions Italy in a penalty shootout. They are heartbreakers who ⁠play with heart and will look to carry that ‌same mentality into the tournament.

"(I once said) ‌I love this game between David and Goliath," Barbarez said. "We play with our ‌hearts and that has been our advantage."

The Dragons are led by ‌40-year-old striker Edin Dzeko, who Barbarez confirmed will be in the squad for Friday's match after overcoming a shoulder injury.

Dzeko is Bosnia's all-time leading scorer with 73 goals.

"Edin will be with us tomorrow," Barbarez said. "Edin will be playing just ‌as usual."

CANADA GAME WILL BE 'QUITE INTENSE'

Barbarez is expecting a tough game against Canada, who are also ⁠aiming to reach ⁠the knockout stage for the first time but face the added pressures of chasing their first ever World Cup win and playing on home soil.

"I am maybe exaggerating a bit, but I'm sure (the game) is going to be quite intense, which is characteristic of both the teams," Barbarez said.

While Canada will have the local crowd behind them, Bosnia will not be without strong support. The Dragons have enjoyed a warm welcome since arriving in Toronto, with fans flocking to the team's training sessions this week.

"We really want to show our best to the whole world," Barbarez said. "We really want to be the team that earns respect and we can only do that by showing what we know on the pitch."